An attempt is made to share the truth regarding issues concerning Israel and her right to exist as a Jewish nation. This blog has expanded to present information about radical Islam and its potential impact upon Israel and the West. Yes, I do mix in a bit of opinion from time to time.

Thursday, April 03, 2014

“The Insanity Deepens”

The current situation regarding “peace negotiations” has evolved into one
beyond imagining. I do not use the term “evolved” to suggest progress to a
higher state, I assure you.

What is more, everything is in almost hour-to-hour flux. And so,
while I hope to send this out today, I advise my readers that within hours of
your reading this, the situation may have again shifted. In point of fact,
I had written an extensive posting yesterday, and before I transmitted it, news
broke that so changed the situation that I had to table it.

~~~~~~~~~~

In the last posting I sent out, I had touched upon a number of rumors –
explaining that media reports on this situation were so conflicting that it was
impossible to determine what was accurate and what not. Now, we have a
considerably clearer – but still muddled - picture.

The genesis of the current tangled situation was a major disagreement
between Israel and the PA with regard to the release of that last group of 26
pre-Oslo prisoners.

Israel had information that it was the intention of the PA to celebrate the
release of this last group and then walk out on negotiations and head to the UN
and international tribunals:

“Erekat himself stated last month that Abbas was staying in talks
solely for the sake of the terrorist releases.”

Thus did Netanyahu call a halt, saying that there had to be a quid pro quo
before he would approve that release. What heappeared to
be looking for was a commitment by the PA to stay at the table past the April
29th deadline, thereby keeping the PA from its “international” path. That he may
have had other motives as well is altogether possible.

~~~~~~~~~

The PA leadership, on the other hand, was firm in its conviction that
Israel committed to the release of 104 prisoners, no matter what, and that the
last group had to be released with no further commitment from their side.
News reports were that they were very angry. Furious. They referred
to the Israeli conditions as “blackmail.”

On the Palestinian Arab street, securing the release of prisoners is a huge
matter. Support for Abbas’s administration is affected by what he can
accomplish in this regard: for him to fail to secure release of prisoners as
promised weakens his base.

~~~~~~~~~~

Thus was there a “stalemate” – if you can call a hitch in a process that
was going nowhere a stalemate. And thus did John Kerry fly into the area
once again on Monday, this time from Paris, according to White House press
secretary Jay Carney, to “narrow the gaps and get things moving forward.”
(Continue reading after you’ve stopped laughing.)

Kerry did not meet with Abbas because of scheduling conflicts. At
least that is what we were told. But it is possible that Abbas simply said
that Kerry knew his terms and there was nothing to discuss: For, Monday night,
PA officials gave Kerry 24 hours to resolve the prisoner dispute. If it
wasn’t resolved by Tuesday, they said, they would turn to UN agencies for
recognition.

US envoy Martin Indyk (no friend of Israel) and a considerable US
“negotiating team” were on the scene speaking to both sides before the secretary
of state arrived. And then, Kerry did meet with chief PA negotiation Saeb
Erekat, although there was no word on what was discussed.

Kerry met with Netanyahu late Monday night and again Tuesday morning.
It seemed that the second meeting followed some communication with the PA, but
this is where it all got fuzzy, with the rumors and unofficial reports
flying.

~~~~~~~~~~

The PA wanted the 26 prisoners (including Arab Israeli citizens) released
with no conditions attached. Then, if they were to remain at the table (this is
metaphorically speaking only, because there haven’t been direct talks between
the parties for months), they wanted additional concessions from Israel.

Media sources have been reporting various demands and various things that
Netanyahu presumably agreed to. Now that the air has cleared a bit, it is
possible to pinpoint several exaggerations. But concessions there were:

In the last posting I sent out, I had expressed doubt about the veracity of
reports that our prime minister had agreed to release an additional 400
prisoners, suggesting that his coalition would crumble were he to attempt to do
this. It turns out that, indeed, he did agree – and possibly to
420.

Originally, Israel said that only prisoners with no blood on their hands
would be chosen. But then the PA insisted on the right to participate in
selection, which sets off bells. On some media sites I have seen reports
that Barghouti would be included. But today I checked with someone who has first
hand information from inside the government, and I’ve been told this is not
so.

~~~~~~~~~~

The big news was that there had become a real possibility that
Jonathan Pollard might be released in mid-April in return for
this. As “incentive.”

Credit: AP

There are US sources who were confirming this possibility, but there was no
official statement from the American government. Jay Carney, White House press
secretary, said that the president had not decided yet. Obama was weighing his
options and whether this would bring political gain. He’s been hostile to
the concept of releasing Pollard from the beginning of his presidency.

What this would do is shift the dynamic and make it more likely that
Netanyahu would be able to release more Arab prisoners without bringing down his
coalition.

Was this a good thing? No, it is a vile and immoral
situation.

Jonathan Pollard deserves to be released because his continued
incarceration is unjust and inhumane. Released, period. Not in
exchange for the release of more terrorists.

Please see the case made today by Alan Dershowitz and Irwin Cotler
regarding Pollard’s right to be released:

To offer his release in the fashion proposed is extortion. Even among
those enormously eager to see Pollard brought home to Israel, there are those
who oppose such a deal.

~~~~~~~~~~

To complicate matters further, there were conflicting reports regarding
whether Pollard would cooperate in such a trade-off. Pollard refused a
parole hearing yesterday, which many read as a sign that he would not
cooperate. As well, there are those who have spoken to him over time, or
are in touch with those who are, who say Pollard wants no part of such a
deal:

Others – such as the JPost’s Gil Hoffman - insist that Pollard would
cooperate. Pollard’s health is poor and, whatever his distaste for the
situation, this may be his only chance for an improvement in his living
conditions that would sustain or prolong his life:

And obviously, there are serious objections to this deal here in
Israel: Much of Bayit Yehudi is negative; as is Danny Danon (Likud),
fiercely so; and Yair Shamir, Uzi Landau, and Israel Katz (all Yisrael
Beitenu). I’ve heard that Ze’ev Elkin may object, and Foreign Minister
Lieberman (head of Yisrael Beitenu) has said he would. So it was not a
sure thing that this deal would pass muster in the government.

~~~~~~~~~~

And now... add to this the fact that there is another way in which
Netanyahu caved. Reportedly he agreed to institute an eight-month partial de
facto freeze in Judea and Samaria, as well.

And what would the PA give in return for all
of this? They would continue at the table into 2015.

~~~~~~~~~~

But wait! This is not the end of the
saga. Kerry, who had to fly out to other locales on Monday afternoon, was
due back yesterday to meet with PA officials in Ramallah and secure their final
agreement on these new terms.

But Abbas dropped a bombshell: He
announced that – with full PLO approval - he had signed applications to 15
international agencies, thereby abrogating the understanding that was the
linchpin for all of these Israeli concessions.

Kerry cancelled plans for going to Ramallah,
and for a brief time I thought the issue was dead. In fact, I figured this
was the perfect scenario for Netanyahu: See, he would be able to announce, we
were willing to go that extra mile (kilometer), we wanted to cooperate. But
look, Abbas has not cooperated, and now Israel must call a halt. The PA
has sabotaged “talks.”

Foolish me: Subsequently, both the Americans
and the Israelis hedged the issue, saying that the Palestinian
Arabs were only playing hardball in order to get even more concessions and
besides, Abbas hadn’t mailed the applications yet and maybe he wouldn’t, and in
addition to this, he was not actually applying to any UN agencies, just other
international agencies.

That is, they were saying that in spite of
what Abbas announced, plans for extended negotiations could continue.

This is what Kerry said:

“What is important to
say about the Middle East right now is it is completely premature tonight to
draw any kind of judgment, certainly any final judgment, about today’s events
and where things are.”

It was at this point that I felt the impulse
to run my head into the wall.

Is the fear of what Abbas might do
so great, is the hunger to keep him on board so overwhelming, that this
penny-ante terrorist in a suit, who has no real political base, and whose term
of office ran out years ago, is permitted complete latitude and excused
everything???

~~~~~~~~~~

Abbas, for his part, was playing both ends
against the middle – saying that he was only doing what the PA had every right
to do, but that this did not mean he wasn’t for negotiations.

“This
[appealing to international agencies] is our fundamental right and we will not
give it up...

"We are
interested in peace and in an independent Palestinian state that will be
established in peace beside Israel, but we keep facing delays -- more and more
delays. So the Palestinian leadership unanimously decided to join international
organizations and institutions. We are not closing the door and we have hope for
the peace process.”

Ashraf Khatib, a communications adviser for
the PLO’s Negotiations Affairs Department, put it this way“

"These treaties and conventions will help to protect and
promote basic rights of the Palestinian people and will enable the State of
Palestine to be a responsible actor on the international stage. These treaties
are vital to continued Palestinian institutional building, good governance and
the upholding of human rights, all of which form the basis for an independent
and sovereign State of Palestine.”

“good governance and the upholding of human
rights...” Unmitigated nonsense where the PA is concerned. But for
the uninitiated, the naïve and those eager to believe, he makes a convincing
case.

~~~~~~~~~~.

It is important to note that, despite what
Kerry said to minimize the issue, agencies Abbas applied to
were, indeed, connected to the UN, and at this point the
applications have been delivered. Some were handed to UN
Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry .

~~~~~~~~~~

It is broadly understood that if Obama and
Kerry were ready to consider releasing Pollard, then they were desperate.
But this gambit is nothing if not cruel. First, of course, for
Pollard. But it’s also a heartbreak for many here, to so badly want to see
Jonathan Pollard released, and yet to know that the price demanded is
exceedingly detrimental to the state of Israel.

My own guess is that this will fall
apart. In his recent statements Kerry shows signs of stepping back:

“A senior American official told
The [Washington] Post that Kerry has ‘gone as far as he can as
mediator’ and that the release of Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard,
seen as a bargaining chip, would no longer be on table unless the Palestinians
and Israelis made ‘significant moves forward.’ (Emphasis
added)It was now up to the two parties
to work things out, Kerry is reported as saying.http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.583342
Never mind that he continues to babble in public about
how there’s still hope for peace.

~~~~~~~~~~

As to Netanyahu, even now – and in the face
of claims to the contrary – I do not believe his goal is the facilitation of a
Palestinian state. Had that been the case, there would have been much he might
have done a la Olmert to make territorial concessions during the last eight
months.

No, I think that our prime minister is under
extreme pressure from a ruthless Kerry. But I do not excuse him because of
this. Not at all. He shows himself to be spineless and ever eager to
please and appear the good guy. In the process he makes Israel weak.

Then there is, of course, this irrational
fear he harbors that we will suffer severe damage if the PA goes to the UN and
other international forums. This is undoubtedly a piece of the
picture.

~~~~~~~~~~

As my readers know, with Jeff Daube, I
co-chair Legal Grounds: The Campaign for Israel’s Rights. Just today we
met to discuss our approach in coming weeks and months.

That fear of Abbas and the UN comes
from a lack of Israeli confidence about our legitimate rights and a reluctance
to speak out on this issue.

Changing this is what we are about, and
there will be much to say about this in the time ahead. If you have an
interest, where you are, please be in touch with me.

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We are hypocrites and cowards - we take freedom for granted as it is eroding underneath our feet‏

Message to offended Muslims

A GOOD, TRUE STORY NOT KNOWN BY MANY.....Air Force.

The IDF’s Minorities in Numbers and Pictures

In honor of IDF Diversity Week, we present diversity through numbers and pictures. Each year, more and more Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouin and immigrants from around the world take on the responsibility of defending Israel.

MUSLIMS:

Muslim Arab Israelis are not required to draft in the IDF, but there are many who volunteer. In 2013, there were over 200 Muslims serving in the IDF and over 300 in the reserves.

What happened?

Mark Hasten Tribute Video Touro College

Housing Quiz

The Record-so far...!

CBS special on Bengazi

Report: 83 percent of doctors have considered quitting over Obamacare

Sally Nelson

Eighty-three percent of American physicians have considered leaving their practices over President Barack Obama’s health care reform law, according to a survey released by the Doctor Patient Medical Association.

Islamization on the move

"What we are dealing with is Islamization. Islamization is the imposition of ideological norms in increasing severity. Like Nazification, it transforms a society by remaking it in its own image from the largest to the smallest of details."Daniel Greenfield

Toronto rejects Anti-Israel Ads...

Shrinking Lands

Why Israel opposes international forces in the jordan valley/

/why-israel-opposes-international-forces-in-the-jordan-valley/

Islam is Islam, And That’s It

Back in 2007, when confronted with the phrase “moderate Islam”, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan famously responded: “These descriptions are very ugly, it is offensive and an insult to our religion. There is no moderate or immoderate Islam. Islam is Islam and that’s it.”

Many thanks to Vlad Tepes for uploading and annotating this video: View video at http://gatesofvienna.net/

There's no racist like a liberal racist

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vz4PjxSmtoI

Ex-Navy SEAL Drops Bombshell On FOX: Says Government is Creating Conditions to Impose Martial Law R

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDuds14OBiE#t=156

American surprise

The Nairobi Mall Massacre

Ninh Chu Ninh Chu

Islam Untied

Platitudes about Islam being a faith of peace are not credible anymore. Islam is only as good as the way its followers practice it; and if they have created killing fields in the name of Islam, then Islam will be recognized by the silence of those who did not speak out when their faith was being massacred to massacre humanity.

AFTERBURNER w/ BILL WHITTLE: The Lynching

What-are you against peace?

Sydney Wake Up The Horrific Muslim Infiltration Of Britain - Luton

Kerry: 'Core Issue of Instability ... Is the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict'‏

Kerry is no friend. By endorsing the "Arab peace initiative" he shows his true intentions and beliefs . And by endorsing linkage he shows that he is either a liar or a fool.Syria is on fire, Egypt is at best incredibly unstable and this is due to Israel? It is out in the open!

A word to left-wing students

In their own words-ru listening?

"The lesson these Islamist groups appear to be drawing from events in Egypt is that democratic engagement with opponents is pointless. And that doesn't bode well for countries with strong Islamist movements..."

Flashback: Obama Admits He Cut Medicare

Another Democratic slogan blown to h....

Are you aware that in 2013, Middle class taxes go up-significantly?

In January of next year, the federal income tax rate for middle-class taxpayers is scheduled to rise from 25 percent to 28 percent, and the payroll tax is scheduled to rise from 13.3 percent to 15.3 percent… This drives the marginal tax rate based on the aforementioned three taxes to 48.12 percent. Add in state and local property, corporate, excise, and other state and local taxes, and the percentage of each additional dollar that is taxed hovers around 50 percent… When half of each additional dollar earned is taxed away, taxpayers experience a disincentive to start businesses or expand existing ones. This leads to fewer jobs being created.

When nations and cultures ignore the early warning signs of the infiltration of radical Islam

The UK has 85 sharia courts. France has over 750 “no go zones,” Muslim enclaves where even French police don’t enter.

Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDKk15KcqNk&feature=email

No such thing as "Islamophobia"

However, if you do not want your positions challenged or criticized or even researched, make up a new "phobia"-shout it long enough and some "people", agenda driven, will use it. Ay, yes, the false term does keep many, many financially rewarded-follow the money.gs don morris, Ph.D.

Khader Adnan: Leader of Islamic jihad or innocent baker?

Why is HAMAS Inside Tampa Schools?

Clare Lopez

Kelly Miliziano, who teaches history classes at Steinbrenner High School in the Tampa, Florida area apparently thinks it’s perfectly OK to invite a senior official of a HAMAS-affiliated organization into her classroom to discuss Islam with her students. According to local media reports, not only has this been going on for years, but in spite of the civil and criminal proceedings that could result from such reckless negligence, the Hillsborough County school superintendent, Mary Ellen Elia, and the chairman of the school board, Candy Olson, also expressed approval for students under their responsibility to be exposed repeatedly to guest speaker, Hassan Shibly, who is the Executive Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in the Tampa area.More...

Omar Barghouti's Propaganda at USC on January 12, 2012

Did You Know... Ignoring the Call to Islam will Bring Jihad

‘Conquest through Da’wa [proselytizing] that is what we hope for. We will conquer Europe, we will conquer America! Not through sword but through Da’wa.’ -- Yousef al-Qaradawi , Muslim Brotherhood spiritual leader The Arabic word ‘Da’wa’ means the “call to Islam.” But do not think that Da’wa is the same thing as an invitation to an optional holiday event. The classical Islamic doctrine of jihad mandates that enemies must be given the opportunity to convert to Islam or pay the jizya tax before it is permissible to attack them.Clare M. Lopez

Americans are opening their eyes

Advertisers fleeing All-American Muslim 'propaganda'The American people are seeing through the propaganda piece that is TLC's All-American Muslim reality/dawah show, and responsible advertisers are fleeing in droves. The show aims to combat a trumped-up problem, "Islamophobia," by presenting Muslims who are just ordinary folk, and

Why Islam is Incompatible with Western Law

Col. Allen West answers a question on muslim terror

Challah's Gaza Rocket Counter

This Month:4Last Month:191

This Year: 562

Total since 2002: 12055

Cease fire Hamas style!!

Thanks http://challahhuakbar.blogspot.com/

"Islamophobia"

"Islamophobia" was a politically manipulative coinage designed to silence critics of Islamic supremacism.It was invented, deliberately, by a Muslim Brotherhood front organization, the International Institute for Islamic Thought, which is based in Northern Virginia.

10 Unknown West Bank Facts

Liberals Redefine "Extremism" and the "Political Center"

On March 31, 1977, the Dutch newspaper Trouw published an interview

with PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein. Here's what he said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist.The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people" to oppose Zionism.

For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

Don’t ever call it ‘West Bank’ again

In March 1977, Zahir Muhsein, a PLO executive, said:

"The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct Palestinian people to oppose Zionism."

"For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

Who do the territories belong to?

The legal borders of Israel under international law

The Arab Apartheid

Ben-Dror YeminiIn 1948, the Arab countries refused to accept the UN partition proposal and they launched a war of annihilation against the State of Israel which had barely been established. All precedents in this matter showed that the party that starts the war - and with a declaration of annihilation, yet - pays a price for it. Between 550,000 and 710,000 Arabs fled because of the war and a larger number of 850,000 Jews were expelled or fled from Arab countries (the "Jewish nakba").Population exchanges and expulsions were the norm at that time, occurring in dozens of other conflict points and affecting about 52 million people. In all the population exchange precedents that occurred during or at the end of an armed conflict, there was no return of refugees to the previous region, which had turned into a new national state. Only the Arab states acted completely differently from the rest of the world. Instead of assimilating the refugees, they crushed them despite the fact that they were their coreligionists and members of the Arab nation - instituting a regime of apartheid. So the "nakba" was not caused by the actual dispossession, which had also been experienced by tens of millions of others. The "nakba" is the story of the apartheid, oppression, abuse and denial of rights suffered by the Arab refugees at the hands of the Arab countries. (Maariv)

How Liberals Argue

Hebrew Univ-you rock!!

Judea and Samaria are not "occupied" lands-why?

Judea-Samaria were not only parts of the ancient Jewish homeland but were recognized as part of the Jewish National Home recognized by San Remo and the League of Nations [1920, 1922] and by the UN charter [article 80; 1945].

"Political Correctness."

"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rapidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."Texas A&M

Christopher Monckton Speaking in St. Paul on the climate issues

International Law and Military Operations in Practice - Col. Richard Kemp

"Islamist fighting groups study the international laws of armed conflict carefully and they understand it well. They know that a British or Israeli commander and his men are bound by international law and the rules of engagement that flow from it. They then do their utmost to exploit what they view as one of their enemy's main weaknesses. Their very modus operandi is built on the correct assumption that Western armies will normally abide by the rules, while these insurgents employ a deliberate policy of operating consistently outside international law. "

Lost Historical Moments

WHAT Golda Meir actually said...

"When was there an independent Palestinian people with a Palestinian state? It was either southern Syria before the First World War, and then it was a Palestine including Jordan. It was not as though there was a Palestinian people in Palestine considering itself as a Palestinian people and we came and threw them out and took their country away from them. They did not exist." Golda Meir June 15, 1969: Interview in the UK Sunday Times

What Rabin’s last Knesset speech really said:repudiation of a Palestinian state

Rabin ruled out a fully sovereign Palestinian state :

“We view the permanent solution in the framework of State of Israel which will include most of the area of the Land of Israel as it was under the rule of the British Mandate, and alongside it a Palestinian entity which will be a home to most of the Palestinian residents living in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. We would like this to be an entity which is less than a state, and which will independently run the lives of the Palestinians under its authority.”

Rabin ruled out a total withdrawal from Judea and Samaria and thus a return to the pre-June 1967 borders :

“The borders of the State of Israel, during the permanent solution, will be beyond the lines which existed before the Six Day War. We will not return to the 4 June 1967 lines.”

Rabin ruled out withdrawing form the Jordan Valley:

“The security border of the State of Israel will be located in the Jordan Valley, in the broadest meaning of that term.”

Rabin ruled out uprooting settlement blocs, like the Gush Katif bloc in Gaza (which was subsequently uprooted by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon):

“The establishment of blocs of settlements in Judea and Samaria, like the one in Gush Katif.

AND

Rabin ruled out removing any settlement before coming to a full peace agreement with the Palestinians:

“I want to remind you: we committed ourselves, that is, we came to an agreement, and committed ourselves before the Knesset, not to uproot a single settlement in the framework of the interim agreement, and not to hinder building for natural growth.”

Rabin insisted on Israel retaining full security control of the borders with Egypt and Jordan, contrary to Israel’s relinquishment of the Philadelphia Corridor on the border with Egypt:

“The responsibility for external security along the borders with Egypt and Jordan, as well as control over the airspace above all of the territories and Gaza Strip maritime zone, remains in our hands.”

Correcting Oslo Myths-Part 2

3) Kuttab laments that the post-1993 Oslo process resulted in a Palestinian Authority "whose ministers and legislators are not guaranteed passage between Gaza and the West Bank ...."

Before free passage or other perquisites, PA leaders were obligated, among other things, to eliminate the terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, end anti-Israeli, antisemitic incitement in schools, mosques, and communications media, and resolve all outstanding issues through peaceful negotiations. They met none of these commitments, sometimes bolstering terrorism and greatly increasing incitement.

4) Kuttab complains that under Oslo the PA got "lightly armed police ---- but no real sovereignty over the land or contiguity between our communities in Gaza and the West Bank."

Oslo agreements repeatedly were revised, regardless of Palestinian non-compliance, until the authorized number of police grew from 8,000 to 40,000. Though they were to be the only armed forces in the territories, Israeli estimates early in the second intifada put the number of gunmen - police, "security services," terrorists, and armed gangs - at 85,000. Their armament reportedly included not only heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades, but also anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.

Sovereignty was to be negotiated in the envisioned 1998 "final status" talks - after a five-year period of confidence-building. Palestinian leadership chronically undermined the process. Palestinian terrorism made the 1993 - 1998 Oslo period more deadly for Israelis than the 15 years preceding it.

The United States doesn't have contiguity between the lower 48 states and Alaska and Hawaii; territorial contiguity between the West Bank and Gaza Strip - that is, through the 20 miles of Israeli territory between them - was never promised and would destroy Israeli contiguity.

5) "Palestinians have been made to endure hundreds of checkpoints in the West Bank, an eight-foot wall deep in our territories, and tight Israeli control over borders."

The security barrier is not "deep in Palestinian territories," but rather encompasses less than 8 percent of Judea and Samaria, and is mostly a fence, rarely a wall; the land in question is not "our [Palestinian] territories" but disputed territory to which, according to the authors of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, Jews as well as Arabs have claims; and there are no international borders, only the 1949 armistice lines with Jordan. Under 242, borders remain to be negotiated. As for checkpoints - like the security barrier and "tight Israeli control" - Palestinian Arabs precipitated these measures themselves. No terrorism and there would be no fence or tight Israeli control and few checkpoints - like before the first intifada.

Correcting Some Oslo Myths

1) In Oslo "Israeli, Palestinian and other world leaders promised that ... Palestinian sovereignty would be solidified."

No, they didn't. The 1993 Declaration of Principles and subsequent Oslo agreements outlined a process by which final status negotiations about the West Bank and Gaza Strip would be reached. The process required an end to anti-Israel terrorism and incitement and a commitment to peaceful negotiations. The PA, Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and other terrorist groups, sabotaged the process from the start.

2) "The reality is that, in defiance of U.N. Security Council Resolution 242, which states that it is inadmissible to occupy land by force, Palestinian territories are still under foreign military occupation."Wrong again. Resolution 242 (1967) does note "the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war." It also affirms the right of every state in the area "to live in peace with secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force." There were no "Palestinian territories." Jordan occupied the West Bank, Egypt controlled Gaza. Israel did not have "secure and recognized boundaries," so retention of some of those territories was possible under 242. Israel is not a "foreign" military occupier in the West Bank but, pending final negotiations, the lawful military administrator as a result of a successful war of self-defense.

About Me

Semi-retired Professor, now also permanent resident of Israel;divides time between both countries-serves on several Boards of Directors for Israel advocacy groups;Chana, resident of Jerusalem, JCPA member